The Chief of Staff recapped the League’s latest season, giving a positive assessment to the tournament. According to Mr Ivanov, the interest to this event is growing, while the intrigue speaks of its highly competitive nature. The Chief of Staff also noted the growing number of fans and the increased popularity of the tournament.
Mr Ivanov said Donetsk and Azovmash Mariupol would not make it to the league in the 2014–2015 season due to the political crisis in Ukraine. At the same time, he expressed hope that the two teams will soon return to the VTB United League. He also confirmed that the reformed Spartak St Petersburg will not be taking part in the tournament either.
Also, Mr Ivanov said that at the next League board meeting he will submit his resignation and recommend a new candidate for the position — First Vice President of the International Biathlon Union, Executive Director of the Russian Biathlon Union, member of the Presidential Council for Development of Physical Culture and Sports Sergei Kushchenko.
The VTB United League is a basketball tournament that was launched in 2008 jointly by VTB and the Russian Basketball Federation to bring together clubs in Eastern and Western Europe. The VTB League currently includes teams from Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Poland and the Czech Republic.